Romance Books '4' Us: HOMOPHONES and Words That Sound Like Homophones but Probably Aren’t

Posted by R. Ann Siracusa

HOMOPHONE: A NEW GENERATION SMART PHONE?

No. A Homophone is a word that is pronounced the same (in varying degree) as another word but differs in meaning and often in spelling.

They run in family herds with other similar relatives, the heteronyms [words with the same spelling but different pronunciation and meanings] and heterographs [words with the same pronunciation but a different spelling and meaning].

The grammatical relationships in this family are more than this writer wants to deal with, but they still come around and break into my novels and cause problems for me.

THE DUCK TEST

The duck test is a sort of logic employing observations to find the most likely explanation of the observations. The test implies that a person can identify an unknown subject by observing that subject's habitual characteristics.

“If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck.”

I’ve applied that very test to some of my problem words. I can’t prove they are homophonic couples, but …. well, you’ll see.

Nauseous and Nauseated
I’m not sure what to call this situation which sound similar to a homophone but is not.

●nauseous = causing nausea, sickness
●nauseated = feeling sick

Both words nauseous and nauseated are often used to mean “feeling unwell” “or “sick to the stomach”, but grammar purists insist nauseous means “to cause nausea” (presumably in another person) while nauseated means “to feel sick.” https://www.grammarly.com/blog/nauseated = vs = nauseous/

Nucleus, Nuclear, Nucular
This one is my pet peeve and drives me nuts when I watch the TV news.

● nucleus = a central point, group, or mass about which gathering, concentration, or accretion takes place; the core; central part; focus.

1) = in physics, the positively charged central core of an atom, consisting of protons and neutrons and containing nearly all its mass.

2) = in biology, a dense organelle present in most eukaryotic cells, typically a single rounded structure bounded by a double membrane, containing the genetic material.

3) = in astronomy, the small bright body in the head of a comet.

● nuclear = following definitions:
1) of, relating to, or constituting a nucleus or core of something, such as the nuclear family.

2) of or relating to a process by which the nucleus of an atom is divided or joined to another nucleus, resulting in the release of energy.

● go nuclear = to become wildly excited or upset; to go berserk or crazy wild. (verb)

● nucular is not a word. Despite the commonly used pronunciation -- in particular, by every TV news commentator who has ever spoken on the tube since it was invented -- nucular is actually the colloquial mispronunciation of the word nuclear.

TRICKY HOMOPHONES

Most people, and particularly writers, use homophones all the time and have no trouble with them. Most of us know the difference between ate and eight or bare and bear. Nonetheless, all of us blithely breeze by some of the more tricky ones and don’t even realize we’ve made a mistake.

Discreet and Discrete
Here is one from my first book. It is not even a tricky one but I didn’t pick up on it and neither did my editors. Some of my readers did and kindly pointed it out to me. Yuck!

● discreet = on the down low, under the radar, careful
● discrete = individual or detached.

Carat, Karat, Caret, and Carrot
I see this misused, often in commercials and advertisements.

● carat = 1) a unit of weight for precious stones and pearls, especially diamonds; now equivalent to 200 milligrams. Denoted by “Ct”; or British spelling of karat.

● karat = the measure of purity of a metal , especially gold, pure gold being 24 karats. Denoted by “K”

● caret = a mark placed below the line to indicate a proposed insertion in a text.

● carrot = a vegetable

Note: I would guess that much of the technical confusion between Karat and Carat is caused, at least in the US, by the fact that the British use the words interchangeably.

Afterward, Afterwards, and Afterword
For shame if you are an author and are not familiar with this one.

● afterward = interchangeable with the words "after" and "later."

● afterwards = at a subsequent or later time and usually relates to events that occur relatively close together, typically one right after the other.

● Afterword = an epilogue or concluding section of a text, typically written by the author of a book, play, or other significant work. In the past, was referred to as the "author's notes." (Noun)
https://www.thoughtco.com/afterwards = and = afterword = 1689292

Note: the words forward and foreword are similar, being a verb (motion) and a noun (part of a book or written document).

Corroborate and Collaborate
These words are not homophones, but mispronounced or misunderstood words, that create confusion similar to homophones.

● corroborate = confirm or give support to a statement, theory, or finding; verify, confirm, authenticate, such as “The witness had corroborated the boy's account of the attack” (verb).

● collaborate = work jointly on an activity, especially to produce or create something; join forces, work together, form alliance, team up (verb); or cooperate traitorously with an enemy.

Complacent and Complaisant

● complacent = satisfied with the status quo while unaware of a danger lying ahead; self = satisfied or unconcerned.

● complaisant = eager to please; marked by an inclination to please or oblige.

Roo, Roux, Rue, and Roué
Foreign words absorbed into common English create several problems, one being that the letters are usually pronounced differently in the foreign language than they would be in English. Another of the other difficulties is that the meaning in the original language may be modified or completely changed once it becomes an English word.

● roo = a kangaroo.(Australian)

● roux = a mixture of a fat, such as butter, and flour, that is used to make a sauce or a gravy. The term roux is derived from the French culinary term beurre roux, which means browned butter.

● rue = (French) a street, road, avenue, boulevard.

● rue = to regret something, to wish one may undo something, carrying a connotation of bitterness; regret. (transitive verb, which is a verb that takes an object.)

● roué = a debauched man, usually an elderly debauched man.

Eminent, Imminent and Immanent
Most of the homophones that give me problems involve three words, one of which I am unfamiliar with.

● eminent = famous and respected (usually a person within a particular sphere or profession.) Most often used to emphasize the presence of a positive quality; significant, influential, esteemed.

● imminent = about to happen (adjective)

● immanent = dwelling within; inherent to something else; spiritual presence

The less common word, immanent, often sneaks in where it doesn't belong. The word is often used in reference to spiritual or otherwise nonmaterial things. It's a formal word, popular with philosophers and religious people.

Eye, I, Aye, and Aye-aye

● eye = the part or organ of a boy used to see (noun).

● I = A first person singular subject pronoun. (Always capitalized)

● aye = an old fashioned and nautical term for “yes”

● aye-aye = The Aye-aye is a rare species of lemur native to isolated regions of Madagascar and known as the world's largest nocturnal primate.

They are also one of the most distinctive looking animals on the planet due to a number of unique adaptations, including coarse dark hair, long bushy tails, rodent-like teeth, piercing eyes and skeletal hands that feature extra-long middle fingers with hooked claws. Aye-ayes are born weighing just a few ounces and reach up to 5 lbs. as adults. They have been known to live up to about 20 years.

There are zillions more homophones, but most of them we all know and love, and have mastered. It never hurts, though, to look up uses and pronunciations that sound a little off. English is constantly losing words and absorbing new ones, particularly foreign and technological words.
□

AUTHOR R. ANN SIRACUSA
Converting oxygen to carbon dioxide for more than three quarters of a century

Travel to Foreign Lands for Romance and Intrigue
Facebook Twitter Website AmazonLink